Lightning's Haste
by Mekkie
Summary: Jade's habit of tagging along with Jackie on his missions gets her into serious trouble with a powerful god. Rated PG13 one death early on, and fighting NOT COMPLETE
1. Enter the players

Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures, including but not limited to the character, themes, and ideas. If you wish use any of the other characters in the stories I create for your own writing, I ask that you contact me first.  
  
Valmont strode back and forth in front of his large desk, located on the upper floor of a London Warehouse.  
  
He was upset; Valmont did not like to be kept waiting.  
  
  
  
Outside the usual London fog coming off the River Thames blurred the small sliver of moon in the sky. A  
  
figure walked quietly towards the warehouse, the fog swirling in his footsteps. The person stopped two blocks  
  
from the warehouse, and looked up and down the street. He raised his hand and made a gesture. The fog swirled  
  
around him, and then dissipated. The figure was gone.  
  
  
  
Back in the warehouse, Valmont was growing angry. He raged up and down his office. "Where is he?!" he  
  
raged.  
  
Valmont grabbed an aid by the collar and screamed in his face "If he is not here in the next five minutes find  
  
me another one!"  
  
"Then I shall not keep you waiting any longer", answered a smooth voice from near the door. Valmont spun  
  
around, there, in his office, stood a teenager. He was about six feet tall, slight of build, with straight blue hair that  
  
ran almost to his shoulders. He wore loose black pants and a black shirt with a bright blue insignia across the  
  
chest. His eyes were hidden behind silver mirrored sunglasses.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Valmont asked, rather surprised.  
  
"I heard you requested the services of an expert thief", replied the  
young man, "You may call me Jenreid."  
  
Valmont was too stunned to answer.  
  
"Ah." Jenreid said, "You find my appearance somewhat surprising? Many do." "I apologize for being  
  
late; I was testing your security systems." He frowned, "They're not very good."  
  
"It's just." stuttered Valmont, "What I mean is, I was expecting some one older".  
  
"Well, I'm here now, what is it you want stolen?" replied Jenreid.  
  
"Uhm., If you think you can handle the job, there is a certain dagger made of blue steel and inlaid with sapphires  
  
that is on display in the Museum of Natural History in America."  
  
"You mean the famed weapon a Rah AhtCloymaln, recently discovered by the Australian archeologist  
  
Wendell Street?"  
  
"You know of it?" gasped Valmont.  
  
"Indeed I do", replied Jenreid, "My last two employers were unwilling to pay the requested price".  
  
While Jenreid and Valmont were talking, one of Valmont's flunkies slipped out of the room.  
  
"Anyway", began Jenreid "My going rate for such a highly guarded item is 70% of its estimated value."  
  
"Money is not a problem", replied Valmont.  
  
"So, perhaps then you seek it for its supposed legendary mystical power?" quipped Jenreid.  
  
Valmont just stared, openmouthed. He tried to speak, but no noises came out.  
  
"By the Tree!" exclaimed Jenreid, "You must do better than that to surprise me". He turned and began to  
  
walk away; calling over his shoulder "I'll have your dagger in less than one week". The man who had left before  
  
returned.  
  
"Oh, and Valmont." Jenreid turned back, and his hand darted in a throwing gesture towards Valmont's  
  
thug. The man looked down at the knife hilt that appeared to be growing out of his chest, as he slumped to the  
  
floor. "You have, excuse me, had a traitor in your midst."  
  
  
  
At Uncle's Rare Finds in San Francisco, Jackie Chan was just finishing breakfast when the telephone rang.  
  
Uncle picked it up. He listened for a moment and frowned. "Jackie", he screeched, "It's for you." Jackie stood up  
  
and took the telephone, "Hello", he said.  
  
"Jackie, its Captain Black".  
  
"Oh, is it trouble, I just got back from Egypt".  
  
"'Fraid so Jackie", replied Capt. Black, "We have reason to believe Valmont is causing trouble again".  
  
"Is Shendu back, too?" questioned Jackie.  
  
"We're not sure, but we would appreciate it if you could assemble the J team and look into it."  
  
"Jackie", shouted Uncle "Is he offering more money, rent is due at end of month."  
  
"Alright, alright" cried Jackie, "We'll come. Were is it you think they are going to strike?"  
  
"The museum of Natural History, in New York. I'll brief you on the rest of it on the plane."  
  
As Jackie hung up the phone, his eleven-year old niece, Jade, came bounding down the stairs, "Yippee", she  
  
shouted, "We get to fight some more bad guys."  
  
"No, we do not", stuttered Jackie "You are staying here. And how did you know anyway?"  
  
"I was listening on the upstairs extension," replied Jade.  
  
"Well, you are going to stay here with whoever Captain Black sends to mind the store anyway", stated  
  
Jackie.  
  
"But-"  
  
"End of discussion Jade".  
  
"Ohhhhh..."  
  
  
  
Later, as a car pulled up with Captain Black and two Section 13 agents inside, Jackie sat his niece down in  
  
her room and had a short talk with her.  
  
"Jade, do you promise not to try to follow us to New York?"  
  
"But Jackie, I could be such a help, I mean-"  
  
"Jade, promise."  
  
"Alright, I cross my heart." Jade smiled.  
  
"That's my girl", said Jackie as he stood up and left the room.  
  
Jade smirked. "Luckily I also crossed my fingers", she said.  
  
  
  
Later, on the plane to New York, Capt. Black gave Jackie, Uncle, Viper, Tohru, and El Toro the details on  
  
the mission. "The Dark Hand has hired a trained thief to steel for it a dagger that is said to possess mystical  
  
powers."  
  
"Only one thief?" smirked Viper.  
  
"This is a very special thief", replied Capt. Black, "We think he might have been the one to kill our undercover  
  
agent within the Dark Hand. From what we have, which isn't much, he's younger than twenty, about six feet tall,  
  
has blue hair, and always wears sunglasses. He calls himself Jenreid, but we can't tell if that his real name."  
  
"Blur hair?" questioned Tohru  
  
"That I can't say for certain", answered Capt. Black. "We started hearing rumors about two months back about a  
  
blue-haired thief-for-higher, but nothing was confirmed."  
  
"Still, one young thief can't be all that tough", replied Viper, reclining in her seat. "Wake me when we get there". 


	2. New York

Later, after arriving in New York and the Museum of Natural History, the J team was stationed near the  
  
exhibit where the dagger was being displayed. Jackie was positioned in an upper gallery with Capt. Black. "No  
  
sign of our guy yet, muttered another agent". Suddenly, Capt. Black's radio crackled to life.  
  
"Green-squad leader reporting in sir, I think I see the target out on the main staircase. He's dressed in gray pants  
  
and a brown leather jacket" "Yup, that's him all right, even got the sunglasses on", stated Jade as she lay on her  
  
stomach on a crate next to Jackie.  
  
"WHAHHHH!" screamed Jackie, "Jade, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I wanted to see the Dark Hand get its butt kicked again."  
  
"Well, stay here and you'll be in less trouble than you are now."  
  
"Jackie", Capt. Black nudged him, "Our targets on the move."  
  
Sure enough, the blue haired man was striding briskly down the staircase and onto the main floor. "Agents, move  
  
in", Capt. Black whispered into his walkie-talkie. "Come-on, Jackie".  
  
The two raced for the ladder down to the main floor.  
  
"Harumph!" pouted Jade  
  
  
  
As the section 13 agents closed in, Jenreid reached the back of the crowd of people looking at the exhibit.  
  
He started to roughly shove people out of his way.  
  
"Not exactly inconspicuous", Viper muttered to El Toro, as they watched Jenreid knock the other visitors aside.  
  
Two museum security personnel ran forward as the thief approached the display case holding the jeweled dagger.  
  
The first security guard swung his nightstick at Jenreid, who simply raised his wrist and blocked it. Then,  
  
wrenching the nightstick from the guards hand, he kicked the guard in the stomach. The second guard atepped  
  
back and drew his gun. Jenreid threw the nightstick so it struck the guards wrist causing him to drop the gun. He  
  
then turned and smashed the glass display case with his bare hands. At the sound of breaking glass, other visitor  
  
began to scream and confusion ensued. Jenreid picked up the dagger from amongst the jagged shards of glass, and  
  
turned to face the panicking crowd. He saw museum security as well as agents working their way towards him.  
  
He crouched, and then leapt almost twenty feet in the air, to land on the railing of the upper gallery. He quickly ran  
  
along the narrow beam, above the guards still fighting their way through the crowd below. Jenreid leapt off the  
  
railing to land in the hallway leading to the entrance hall. Tohru stepped out of a side hall as he sprinted for the  
  
main exit. Jenreid simply slid beneath his legs and popped up, just in time to see Viper swing a karate chop at his  
  
head. He deftly caught her wrist, flipped her over, and tossed her aside so her shoulders slammed into a wall. El  
  
Toro charged at Jenreid to tackle him, but Jenreid sidestepped El Toro, and drive his elbow into his back as he  
  
went past. Tohru charged at Jenreid, who waited until Tohru was almost upon him, then jumped straight up and  
  
over Tohru, kicking him lightly in the back of the head as he crashed down. Jenreid looked towards the entrance to  
  
see Jackie and Capt. Black barring his way. "Stop this and you won't get hurt", commanded Capt. Black.  
  
Jenreid glanced over his shoulder at Tohru, Viper, and El Toro, "Funny", replied Jenreid, "I was just thinking the  
  
same thing".  
  
Jenreid tucked the dagger into his belt, and raise his arms. Two long- bladed spears flew from a nearby rack and  
  
into his outstretched hands. He twirled each in his fingers, before suddenly slamming the blunt ends into Capt.  
  
Black's chest and Jackie's midriff, knocking them aside. Jenreid dropped the spears and strolled casually towards  
  
the exit.  
  
"Hiyaaaa!" Jade leapt from the upper balcony, aiming a kick at Jenreid's face. He simply twisted his shoulders  
  
sidewise, and caught the back of her sweatshirt as she flew past. He pulled her into a choke-hold, and drew a knife  
  
from a sheath inside his coat. He held the thin blade under her chin.  
  
"My way out just got easier" Jenreid grinned. "Nobody move, and the girl will remain alive." He backed slowly  
  
out of the museum. Once outside, he slammed Jade against the wall, and drove the knife through her sweatshirt  
  
into a crack in the wall behind her. Jenreid left her dangling there as he ran off. Moments later, the others burst  
  
out of the museum, but Jenreid had already disappeared onto the crowded sidewalks. 


	3. Dagger's Hilt

Back in the headquarters of section 13, Capt. Black was a holding a conference with the other members of  
  
the J team, as a nurse tried to bandage his cracked rib. "Alright, that could have gone better, but at least no one  
  
was seriously injured, ouch!" Capt. Black winced as the nurse pulled the bandage tight.  
  
"Uncle, what kind of demon was that?" Jackie asked  
  
"That was no demon", Uncle replied, "I cast anti-demon spell on whole building, no demon could have gotten in."  
  
"Well, what was he then?" questioned Viper.  
  
"How should I know", cried Uncle "I only know demons!"  
  
"Perhaps this can help", an agent pulled out of a bag the knife that Jenreid had threatened Jade with. "There's a  
  
design on the hilt, it might mean something".  
  
Uncle stood up and plucked the knife from the agent's fingers. "Come Thoru, we must do research", Uncle said as  
  
he left the room.  
  
"Coming sensei", replied Tohru as he stomped out after Uncle.  
  
"You must excuse me, too" declared Jackie as he stood up, "I must have a talk with my niece."  
  
  
  
On a train back to London in private room, Jenreid examined the jeweled dagger he had taken. "Such  
  
trouble mortals go through for such small gains" he mused to himself. He let his senses wander over the dagger,  
  
feeling for its aura of power. Something was amiss. He drew the dagger, and let his eyes wander down the blade  
  
to the hilt. Suddenly, Jenreid's eyes went wide.  
  
The other passengers on the train heard a shriek echo through the cars, the lights flickered, and the train  
  
shook, as the sound of breaking wood and shattering glass filled the corridor. To conductors, hurried down the  
  
train, as people exited their rooms to find out what happened. The conductors moved through the cars calming  
  
people down and looking for the source of the noise themselves. As one of them opened the door to a private  
  
room, he gaped in shock at the giant hole in the side of the train.  
  
  
  
Jade sat in her room in Section 13 headquarters. As Jackie entered her room she started her to speak, but he  
  
cut her off and said "Jade, now is not the time for excuses. I told you not to us. This man is obviously dangerous.  
  
If we have to go after him to recover the dagger and you try to come with us, I will ground you for a month."  
  
"But Jackie, I've got something really important." Jade pleaded.  
  
"Alright, what is it?" questioned Jackie.  
  
"This." Jade pulled from her pocket a sapphire as large as her thumb.  
  
Jackie stared, as he stuttered, "Jade, where did you get that?"  
  
"Well" she replied, "When Jenreid grabbed me, I grabbed for the dagger, and this came off in my hand."  
  
"Very good." Uncle was back, with Tohru. "With this we can track the dagger, and with that, the thief."  
  
"But Uncle, what if the thief comes after Jade?" Jackie worried.  
  
Uncle smacked Jackie in the head "Why would he do that? It is not Jade he is after. Come Tohru, we must do  
  
more research. One more thing, we must gather Chi ingredients." Uncle and Tohru left the room, as Capt. Black  
  
was coming in. He motioned for Jackie to follow him out. 


	4. Cult

A human, and a child no less, had gotten the better of him. Jenreid's mind whirled with anger as he sped  
  
across the great western plains. If Drackoye ever found out he would never hear the end of it. Still, the incident  
  
had given him cause to wonder. The dagger without one of its two major gemstones had given off enough energy  
  
that he hadn't noticed he focused on it. So how much power might both pieces reunited bestow upon the dagger's  
  
possessor? The blue-haired figure began to wonder if it was wise to allow mortals access to such energies. Jenreid  
  
continued to let his thoughts wander, as he crossed the vast landscape. The wind rippled at his passing.  
  
  
  
Tensions were running high in Section 13. Viper was restless at the inactivity, Uncle was upset because he  
  
was having little luck with his research, Jackie and Capt. Black were worried because they had reports of some one  
  
who matched Jenreid's description in England several hours ago, but nothing since then. And Jade was sulking in  
  
her room because Capt. Black had, at Jackie's request, posted a guard outside her door.  
  
Uncle had Tohru researching tracer spells, for use with the jewel, if Jenreid did not return, and he himself  
  
was looking for references to the design on the knife hilt. It looked somewhat like the sun rising over water, with  
  
jagged lines streaming outward. Uncle had tried to recruit agents to help, but most didn't read Chinese, and none  
  
understood what they were reading. "Aiyaaaaa! This is hopeless!" cried Uncle. He gestured to a nearby agent  
  
standing in the hallway. "You there! Go get Jackie! Tell him Uncle needs more information if he is to find the  
  
blue-haired thief" The agent tried to argue with Uncle, "But sir, Capt. Black-"  
  
"This is more important! Go now!" The agent scrambled off. Jade peeked out her door, as the agent that had just  
  
left was the one that was supposed to be guarding her. Unfortunately, Uncle was standing just outside her door,  
  
looking down the corridor the agent had just fled. Jade reached out and lightly pulled a piece of paper from the  
  
bundle he held at his side. She then slipped back into her room. On the paper was the symbol from the knife. Jade  
  
walked over to her computer, thinking to herself "Maybe if I find out about the thief, Jackie will let me come along  
  
on his next mission." She sat down and placed the picture on her scanner, saying to herself "You can find anything  
  
on the internet."  
  
  
  
Several hours later Capt. Black called a conference in his office. After everyone had arrived, he made an  
  
announcement. "I just got off the phone with the vice president and the pentagon. They have authorized us to use  
  
lethal force if necessary."  
  
"What?!" cried Jackie, "You mean you are going to kill him?! Capt. Black I don't feel I can be part of such-"  
  
"Nonsense!" interrupted Uncle, "The right chi spell will stop him!"  
  
"So you found out about Jenreid, then?" asked El Toro.  
  
"First I must do more research!"  
  
Everyone sighed, and there was a moment of awkward silence.  
  
"No need, everybody! I know who our thief is." It was Jade, and with her a sheepish looking security guard. "I  
  
know she wasn't supposed to leave the room, but she claimed to have valuable information."  
  
"Yeah! I do!" yelled Jade. "I scanned the symbol into my computer and went online and found this site and there's  
  
this cult and it's got the same symbol and they believe in this god of lightning and his name's Sirentiven and-"  
  
"Whoa, slow down Jade" interjected Jackie. "You are speaking much to fast".  
  
"Just great," said Capt. Black sarcastically, "Cult activity, I bet some wacko got it into his head that he's been told  
  
to steel artifacts that give him magic powers."  
  
"Do not mock the gods!" shrieked Uncle, "They are more powerful even than Shendu and his horde of demons!  
  
"But what would a god be doing stealing for the Dark Hand?"  
  
"This is precisely my point", replied Capt. Black, "I bet Jenreid is just another human and this cult is backing him  
  
financially."  
  
"I will still research a chi spell!" shouted Uncle as he stormed off.  
  
"If we can find some one from this cult maybe we can get them to still the beans", said Capt. Black. He nodded to  
  
the agent standing near the door. "See if we can trace that website, and get the names of anyone you can"  
  
"Why do all that?" asked Jade, "The web site lists an address in Salem, Oregon".  
  
Capt. Black and Jackie just stared.  
  
  
  
Later, on a private plane to Oregon, Jackie was trying to help Uncle find the proper chi spells, but it wasn't  
  
going very well. "Uncle", complained Jackie, "We've been at this for hours, and there has been nothing that tells  
  
how to get rid of a god".  
  
"Perhaps", ventured Tohru, "A modified demon banishing spell would work."  
  
"Aiyaaaaa!" cried Uncle, "I told you, gods are more powerful than demons, it would take far too much chi!"  
  
Suddenly his expression changed. Uncle tossed aside one book and picked up another one. "Tohru, we must  
  
research chi transfer spell."  
  
Tohru just nodded.  
  
Viper glanced at Jackie, then spoke "You know, you could have let Jade tag along. She did find these people for  
  
us."  
  
"Don't you start, too!" cried Jackie, "It is much too dangerous."  
  
  
  
Later, at the address that had been on the website, he J Team, as well as several dozen armed agents,  
  
approached the house of a man named Jake Welenson. Capt. Black kicked open the door and agents rushed into  
  
the house. "Sir, we've got some one here" came a shout from the kitchen. Capt. Black and the J Team crowded  
  
into the small kitchen. A man who looked to be in his late 20's, with short brown hair, was pinned against a wall  
  
by three agents. "Let him up" ordered Capt. Black. The agents spun the man to face Capt. Black as he started to  
  
question the man.  
  
"Are you Jake Welenson?"  
  
"Yes, and if I new you took those parking tickets so seriously I would have paid up a long time ago, I swear!"  
  
"Were not here about that, are you the leader of an organization that worships Sirentiven?"  
  
Jake squirmed. "Yeah.kinda, if this is from that girl at the meeting with the beer, I had no idea she was a minor."  
  
Uncle pushed his way to the front, and squinted at the man. "This one is not the thief!" he declared; then he left.  
  
Capt. Black sighed, and turned back to Jake, "So what exactly does this cult of yours do?"  
  
"Nothing really, a couple of years ago one of my college buddies found this dude mentioned in a book while doing  
  
research on ancient cultures, and we formed an internet group around him."  
  
Capt. Black held up the Jenreid had left at the museum, "Have you ever seen this knife."  
  
"Nope, but its kinda cool, maybe we should get something like that. Listen, I'm not sure what this is about, but I  
  
can get the book and you can read out it yourselves." Jake started to move towards the door until an agent pointed  
  
a gun at him. Capt. Black indicated that an agent should fetch the book. Moments later, the agent returned with a  
  
large, black covered book. As he went to pass it to Capt. Black, it was snatched from his hand. Uncle had  
  
returned. "Perfect!" he shouted, "With this I can prepare the proper chi spell!"  
  
Capt. Black nodded, "Alright everyone, lets get out of here."  
  
As they were leaving, Jake followed them saying, "Hey, it was nice to meet you, if you want to join our fan club  
  
the entrance fee is only $10". 


	5. Gathering

Back on the plane, Uncle handed out to everyone a small stone looped  
  
on a string. "Uhm, Uncle, what are these for?" inquired Jackie.  
  
Uncle responded, "These pendants will absorb your extra chi, and I can use  
  
it to cast the spell! Come Tohru, we must enchant more pendants!"  
  
  
  
Back at section 13, Jackie was having another argument with Jade.  
  
"But Jackie", she pleaded, "You just gotta let me come with you when you  
  
go to find Jenreid. I found all that stuff about him."  
  
Jackie shook his head, "No Jade, I've told you before, it is much too  
  
dangerous."  
  
"So was fighting demons, and I was there then."  
  
"But you weren't supposed to be, and Uncle said this person may be even  
  
more dangerous. Now be a good girl and stay here." Jackie walked away  
  
and turned down another corridor. Suddenly, he stuck his head back around  
  
the corner. Jade looked up hopefully.  
  
"And if you try to follow us, I will ground you for a month."  
  
Jade went off to her room and sulked.  
  
  
  
The main hall was crowded and noisy, as Uncle directed a small army  
  
of agents that were arranging ancient scrolls, texts, and artifacts. The freight  
  
elevator arrived and Tohru and El Toro began to offload a miniature forest  
  
of exotic plants. "Uncle", cried Jackie, attempting to be heard over the  
  
hubbub, "What are these things doing here?"  
  
Uncle replied, "Protection, if we must fight Sirentiven, he will undoubtedly  
  
have mystic powers."  
  
"But Uncle is all this necessary?"  
  
Uncle smacked Jackie in the head before replying "How many time must I  
  
tell you, gods are very very powerful!" A pile of manuscripts fell of a  
  
computer with a loud crash, and Uncle shrieked, "Aiyaaa! Be careful, those  
  
contain ancient magic power!"  
  
Jackie sighed and walked away, thinking "I must go see Capt. Black."  
  
  
  
Jackie threaded his way through piles of weapons in the hall to Capt.  
  
Black's office. As he closed the door behind him, the noise and mayhem  
  
slipped away. A much harried Capt. Black sat behind the desk, with several  
  
dirty coffee cups in front of him. He looked up and gave a brief smile to  
  
Jackie.  
  
"I'm glad you came, I was going to come get you, but every time I step out  
  
into the station your Uncle wants some thing else. "  
  
"Uhm, yeah.I noticed" Jackie stammered.  
  
Capt. Black cut in, "There's also another problem, your Uncle, he says-"  
  
Just at that moment, however, the door banged open and a very frazzled  
  
agent walked in, followed by a very irate Uncle.  
  
The agent immediately started speaking "Capt. Black I know you said you  
  
didn't want to be interrupted but this latest request is ridiculous, I can't keep  
  
trying to supply all these things!"  
  
Uncle shouted back "Ridiculous! I will laugh when Sirentiven blasts you  
  
apart!"  
  
Capt. Black put his hands over his face, "Just get him what he needs."  
  
The agent tried to argue, "But, the cost-"  
  
Capt. Black looked up, "I don't care! Just get it for him, and I'll work the  
  
budget out later."  
  
As the agent and Uncle turned to leave, Capt. Black ordered, "Uncle wait,  
  
about what you said before."  
  
Uncle turned back, "Ah, then you have found another place?"  
  
Jackie worriedly interjected, "Another place? What's wrong with this  
  
place?"  
  
Capt. Black turned to Jackie, "Uncle doesn't want to cast his spells  
  
underground, so he says we have to find someplace else."  
  
Jackie looked at Uncle, "But what's wrong with this place?"  
  
Uncle smacked Jackie in the head, "If chi spells causes something  
  
disastrous, Uncle does not want the ceiling to fall on his head!"  
  
Jackie tried to argue with Uncle, "But Uncle we do not even know if this is  
  
really Sirentiven."  
  
Uncle smacked him again, "Precisely my point! Chi spell for god won't  
  
work well on anyone else!"  
  
Jackie shrugged his shoulders, "If we move somewhere, Jade will be safer  
  
here."  
  
Capt. Black stared at the two for a moment, then looked down at his desk.  
  
He picked up a file, "There's a mostly empty warehouse west of the city.  
  
It's big and open, will that do?"  
  
Uncle nodded, "Under these circumstances, it will have to. Now, I must  
  
finish chi spell!"  
  
  
  
The chaos continued all night, until a few hours before dawn. As the  
  
sun began to rise, almost everyone drifted off to get a few hours sleep.  
  
Uncle continued to work with Tohru. They were sorting pendants and  
  
medallions into two piles, one for Uncle and one for Tohru. Uncle placed  
  
the last of them and said, "Perfect, with these charms Sirentiven cannot harm  
  
us."  
  
Tohru looked at Uncle, "But sensei, what about everyone else?"  
  
Uncle smacked Tohru in the head, "We will be casting the chi spell, it will  
  
be us the god shall try to stop or seek vengeance on!" Tohru looked slightly  
  
green.  
  
Uncle shouted at him, "Now stop fooling and help me put these wards on!"  
  
Tohru picked up the strings of medallions and placed them around Uncle's  
  
neck.  
  
Uncle staggered forward while gasping, "Toh.ru.help.too...heav.y".  
  
Tohru lifted the wards and charms from Uncle's next.  
  
Uncle looked up at Tohru, "You will wear the protection, I will draw on  
  
your chi."  
  
Tohru looked even greener. 


	6. Banishing

In the early hours of the morning, a convey of trucks could be seen leaving from various secret exits around  
  
Section 13 headquarters. Jade watched as almost everyone headed to one place or another. "Shoot!" she swore to  
  
herself, "I don't care if I get grounded, I can't miss this."  
  
  
  
Jackie was nervous. Capt. Black was nervous. Uncle was nervous. Everyone was nervous except Tohru.  
  
Tohru was extremely nervous. Agents were placed in groups around the building. Uncle had cast a spell on the  
  
jewel from the dagger, and now it glowed slightly in his hand. Capt. Black looked at his watch and then turned to  
  
Uncle, "How long will we have to wait for our guy?"  
  
Uncle smacked him in the head. "Have some patience, if it takes longer for him to show up, it means the less  
  
powerful he is."  
  
A laugh echoed from close by "If that's your rationale then your in trouble!"  
  
Everyone faced the sound to see Jenreid standing less then 50 yards away.  
  
"Crud", grumbled Capt. Black, "I had agents watching every entrance, how did he get in?"  
  
Jackie stepped forward, towards the man, and said "Jenreid, or Sirentiven, whoever you are, hand over the dagger."  
  
The thief looked amused, "Jenreid? Sirentiven? Jenreid is merely what I call myself; Sirentiven must be what my  
  
name has been degraded into. Please, just call me Sriven." The smile faded from his face, "As for this dagger."  
  
Sriven pulled the dagger from his pocket. He looked at it for a moment, then the muscles in his arm tensed. The  
  
dagger crumpled in his hand like aluminum foil. The jewels cracked and shattered. There was a blast of light, and  
  
a twisted smoldering hunk of metal fell to the floor.  
  
As Jackie stumbled backwards, he heard some one quietly say "Whoa!" behind him. He turned to see Jade peeking  
  
out from behind a steel column. She noticed him looking at her, and whispered, "Oops, a.hi Jackie".  
  
Jackie's eyes bugged out, "Jade, ah! Can't you ever stay away?! Now, get back!" he shoved her behind a crate,  
  
and turned back towards Sriven, who had started striding quickly across the warehouse floor.  
  
Suddenly, El Toro charged at him, catching Sriven off guard. El Toro body- slammed Sriven into a wall, part of  
  
which collapsed. El Toro walked over and looked at the pile of broken bricks. Sriven burst up, and backhanded El  
  
Toro so hard he flew almost 30 feet before crashing to the ground. Agents in the building opened for, and bullets  
  
slammed into his arms, legs and torso, driving Sriven to his knees. A stray bullet hit a steam pipe, and it burst,  
  
covering Sriven in clouds of water vapor. As the steamed cleared, Sriven was once again on his feet. The agents  
  
recommenced firing, but this time a bullet hit a gas pipe causing it to explode, and engulfing Sriven in a fireball.  
  
As the spoke cleared, it became obvious a large portion of the floor was missing. Sriven, his clothes now only  
  
charred rags, was floating were he had previously been standing. His sunglasses were gone, and his eyes turned  
  
out to be a startling shade of purple.  
  
Sriven didn't seem the least bit concerned. As he drifted forward he raged, "Mortals! You dare to attack me with  
  
cold steel?! None of you shall see another sunset!"  
  
Uncle's voice drifted above the heads of Jackie and Capt. Black as he began to cast his chi spell. "Muye Miieo  
  
Netcin Dristep, Muye Miieo Netcin Dristep."  
  
Sriven eyes went wide with astonishment, as both hated and fear flickered across his face. Suddenly, three agents  
  
dropped from an overhead catwalk, and tried to subdue Sriven. He kicked two away, and flung the third across the  
  
floor. More agents, as well as Jackie and Viper, moved in to try to help. Uncle continued to chant, and a ball of  
  
light began to form in his outstretched hands. Sriven wrenched one arm free and pointed at Uncle. Light began to  
  
gather around his fingers. Jackie wrenched the arm upward just as blots of lightning shot from the fingertips.  
  
Unfortunately, the lightning struck the ceiling, cutting loose pipes and cables above Uncle's head. Tohru, who had  
  
been helping cast the chi spell, pulled Uncle away from the falling debris. A large pipe hit Tohru on the head, and  
  
he collapsed on top of Uncle. The ball of light stayed where it was, but it began to fade and disappear. Uncle  
  
struggled to free himself, crying, "I must complete the chi spell!"  
  
Jade leapt over his head, and landed on the pile of rubble. She put her hands next to the fading spell and began to  
  
chant, "Muye Miieo Netcin Dristep."  
  
As her words reached Sriven's ears, he froze. Here was the same child who had already outsmarted him once. His  
  
rage rose up, and his fists blurred into a whirlwind. Agents flew from him, and soon he was standing in a cleared  
  
space, with dozens of dazed agents on the ground around him. Sriven raised both arms toward Jade. Light  
  
gathered at his fingertips.  
  
Jade noticed and speeded up her chanting, "Muye Miieo Netcin Dristep, Muye Miieo Netcin Dristep."  
  
Lightning shot at Jade, when suddenly the ball of light grew brighter, and its separated into gray arms that charged  
  
to meet the lightning. The two forces met, and the chi spell consumed the lightning, following along its path, back  
  
to Sriven. As the chi spell twisted about him, he shrieked, "NOOOOOOoooooooo.!" It trailed off as the arms of  
  
energy engulfed him, and for a brief instant, a human form could be seen in the center of a rushing cloud of wind.  
  
Then there was silence, and nothing moved.  
  
Everyone except Uncle, looked towards the spots were Sriven had existed only a moment before. Uncle stared at  
  
Jade, mouth agape. 


	7. Time To Go

The agents and Capt. Black, as well as Viper and El Toro, had returned to headquarters. Uncle, however,  
  
had insisted that he, Jackie, Tohru, and Jade return to his shop. Uncle hurried inside and went straight to the  
  
library, were he began pulling books off the shelves.  
  
"Jackie, Tohru", he called, "come here. We must do research".  
  
Thoru just groaned, and Jackie asked, "Why, Uncle, Sriven is gone."  
  
Uncle turned and smacked them both in the head saying, "We must find a way to hide Jade! She cast the chi  
  
spell without any protective chi! Should Sriven return he may seek retribution!"  
  
They heard the bell on the door to the shop ring, and Uncle hurried out saying, "Go away, we are closed!"  
  
He became instantly silent when he saw person who entered his shop.  
  
The young man stood almost nine feet tall, with short spiky red hair, and broad shoulders. He wore a trench  
  
coat that swept the floor. He loosened the trench coat and pulled it off, revealing that his "shoulders" were actually  
  
huge, red leathery wings that, when he unfurled them, stretched the width of the shop. A tail stretched down to rest  
  
on the floor. He wore loose brown pants, and a red sleeveless shirt. His arms rippled with muscles.  
  
"Aiyaaa!" cried Uncle, "A demon!"  
  
The figure chuckled, and spoke in a deep, rumbling voice "I? A demon? Nay, that I am not, though when I  
  
state my business you may wish it. My name is Drackoye." He looked down at Jade, "I have come for this girl."  
  
With a glance at Uncle, Jackie put himself between Drackoye and Jade, "What do you want with her?"  
  
Drackoye laughed again, "What use could I have for a human child? It is not I to whom she must go, but my  
  
cousin, Sriven." Seeing the confused expressions on their faces, he continued, "I am the gatekeeper for the nearest  
  
portal that connects this plaine of existence with Setranolyth, realm of the low gods. So, it is my duty to oversee  
  
all who must pass through the gate."  
  
Jackie tried to stall for more time, "But why must she go through this gate?"  
  
Drackoye frowned, "Have humans forgotten this much about Setranolyth? Since you were able to dispose of  
  
Sriven, I assumed that still possessed knowledge of the old ways." He furled his wings and folded his arms.  
  
"No matter, I shall explain. Before the existence of humans, when only a few mortal races bestrode the realms of  
  
existence, there were beings that you call gods and demons. Just as some men are more powerful than others, so  
  
there were more powerful gods and demons, the most powerful of these took it upon themselves to govern the rest,  
  
and to keep them from interfering in the lives of mortals. There job was two fold, however, as they quickly found  
  
themselves having to keep mortals from trying to become involved in the affairs of gods. So, they solidified the  
  
boundaries between the planes of existence. Now no normal god, demon, or mortal can pass through under normal  
  
circumstances."  
  
Jade pushed her way in beside Jackie, "But what does that have to do with me?"  
  
Drackoye looked annoyed, "Are all mortals this impatient? It must come from being short of life." Then he  
  
continued with his explanation. "Sriven needed to come to Earth on an errand, so he did great service for  
  
Sencl?iw, the High Gatekeeper for this realm, who then granted him stay until his errand was complete. Since you  
  
sent Sriven back before he finished, this girl, Jade as you call her, now owes great service to Sriven."  
  
Tohru asked "What kind of service?"  
  
Drackoye shook his head. "This I know not, since it is for Sriven to decide when she has repaid the debt.  
  
Now, if there are no more questions, we must leave."  
  
Everyone was silent foe a moment until Jade spoke up, "I can't!"  
  
Drackoye glared at her and growled, "Why not?"  
  
"I.uh.but.uhm.I've gotta pack!" she stuttered.  
  
`Drackoye glared a moment longer, then shrugged. "I doubt you will have need of anything you will pack,  
  
or that you could pack what you shall need, but since it is only my cousin who shall be upset at your lateness." at  
  
this he grinned, "Pack as much as you can carry."  
  
Jade hurried upstairs and closed her door, and Drackoye turned to examine the contents of Uncle's shop.  
  
Jackie tried to engage him in conversation, "So.uhm.what's the other dimension like? Is it cold this time of  
  
year?"  
  
Drackoye did not respond for a moment, then swung around with an annoyed look on his face. He glanced  
  
toward at Jade's room. "The girl has left the premises." 


	8. Switch

As Drackoye started towards the stairs, Tohru stepped in front of him and swung a massive fist at his face.  
  
Drackoye blocked it with one hand, and grabbed Tohru's leg and side. Without the least sign of effort, he lifted  
  
Tohru above his head, and threw him down so he went crashing into the basement. One sweep of his tail knocked  
  
Jackie to the floor. Uncle grabbed a scroll to cast a chi spell, and Drackoye opened his mouth. Fire shot forth, and  
  
Uncle dropped the scroll as it burst into flame. He unfurled his wings and grabbed the trenchcoat he had dropped  
  
to the floor, with one flap, his wings filled the shop with dust and flying papers, he crashed upward through the  
  
roof. Drackoye rose until he was several hundred feet in the air. He circled the store twice until he spotted Jade in  
  
her orange sweatshirt running across the rooftop almost a block away. He dove, and was upon her in seconds.  
  
  
  
Jade had crawled out her window and climbed the fire escape to the roof were she planned to try to outrun  
  
Drackoye. As s shadow swept over her, she stumbled on the rough gravel, and fell on the hands and knees. Jade  
  
ignored the stinging in her palms and she looked up at Drackoye, standing less than two steps away.  
  
  
  
Drackoye wasn't surprised the mortal child had run and since it would only be her problem if she was late,  
  
he didn't much care, so long as it was an inconvenience to his cousin, Sriven. He pulled his wings close to his  
  
body, and curled his tail so he could swing the trench coat over his shoulders. Drackoye reached down and lifted  
  
Jade up by her arm. His grip wasn't tight, but it was firm, and felt as unyielding as rock. Drackoye, with Jade  
  
swinging from his hand, walked over to the maintenance hatch of the apartment building and pulled the lock off.  
  
He jerked to rusted cover up, tearing off the latch; then he lowered himself and Jade through the hole. Inside, he  
  
slid the cover back over the hole, and twisted the metal pins down.  
  
Jade, whose arm was being twisted slightly, looked up and asked, "Could you put me down? This is sorta painful."  
  
Drackoye looked at her, "Do you promise not to try and escape?"  
  
Jade nodded. Drackoye set her down, and she immediately took off. She got about two feet, before Drackoye's  
  
hand grabbed the back of her sweatshirt. He lifted her up so she was looking straight into his eyes, and stated, "Your lack of honesty is going to get you killed." Drackoye noticed the bottom of the sweatshirt was starting to  
  
strangle Jade, so he turned her upside down and held her at arms length by her ankle. This did not make Jade  
  
happy. He proceeded down the stairs and was about to step through the doors onto the street, when he looked  
  
down at the kicking, screaming girl dangling from his grasp. Drackoye sighed and made a motion in the air with  
  
his hand. The outlines of everything around them blurred, and took on a yellowish tint. Drackoye proceeded to  
  
walk six blocks to the nearest subway entrance. Along the way, Jade tried to extract help from other passerby, but  
  
no one gave her a second glance. "Hello!" she yelled, "Don't you care that there's a girl getting kidnapped?!"  
  
Drackoye replied through clenched teeth, "No, they do not, I have put a glamour over us, in five minutes no one  
  
will remember they ever saw you. Now be quiet, I grow weary of your voice."  
  
  
  
As they descended into the subway station, Jade asked, "Why are you taking me down here?"  
  
Drackoye replied after a moment, "It is easier to anchor a portal in the ground than in the air, so that is were the  
  
portal is."  
  
He walked to the very end of the platform, and turned to a door with a battered sign on it that read  
  
Authorized Personnel Only. Drackoye touched the padlock on the door, and it melted like wax. He pushed the  
  
door open and walked down a dimly lit corridor to another metal door. He pushed on the door and began to slide  
  
back into the wall. The door turned out to be a three foot deep block of iron. Once it had been pushed out into the  
  
next room, Drackoye slipped in past it, and pushed it back so it once again sealed the exit. Jade looked around the  
  
room for a brief instant before she was dropped on the ground. Everything swam back into focus and she looked at  
  
her surroundings. The chamber they were now in was about 50 feet long by 30 feet wide, and the ceiling was  
  
almost 20 feet high. The only other door in the room was a massive steel door from an aircraft hangar that sat on  
  
tracks at the far end of the room. Wedges had been driven into the tracks, and metal rods had been driven through  
  
the tacks into the door. Chains were wrapped around the door handles and through bolts in the wall. Drackoye  
  
quickly went to work, pulling out the wedges and rods, and unwrapping the chain. When it was all clear, he pulled  
  
back the door. Jade gasped. Behind the door was a whirling vortex of light. Fire licked about the edges, and  
  
lightning crackled across the depths. A strange substance that shone like metal and ran like water mixed in to  
  
surround the flames. Jade stood up and walked towards the portal; she peered over the edge see a bottomless  
  
abyss.  
  
Drackoye glanced at her, "If you return alive, mayhap we shall meet again."  
  
Jade smiled innocently at him, "Uh.you first."  
  
Drackoye grinned back, "Nope, I stay on this side of the portal." He clapped Jade roughly on the shoulder. She  
  
stumbled forward and teetered on the edge of the portal. Drackoye reached out, and lightly tapped her back. Jade  
  
fell forward. 


	9. Castle

As Jade passed into the portal she felt as though she were falling in slow motion. The entrance zipped away  
  
behind her, and after only a moment, another opening appeared on the horizon. It rapidly grew larger, until Jade  
  
slammed back into reality. Her body suddenly returned to normal speed, and she fell forward onto a dirt road.  
  
Jade looked up to see an elderly man standing in front of her. He looked to be about 50 with dark hair that was  
  
graying at the temples. He wore gray pants and a blue tunic covered with silver braid over a white shirt, on his feet  
  
were short boots; on his face was a look of extreme displeasure. Jade stood up and stuttered, "Uh.Hi! I'm Jade."  
  
The man scowled. "You're late. Follow me." He turned and began to stride up the dirt path. He called back,  
  
"Krel, get the gate."  
  
Jade wondered what he meant until a young boy walked out from the shade of a nearby tree, were he had been  
  
resting. "Aaaaaaa!" Jade screamed as she stumbled backwards and sat down hard. She stared at his head, where a  
  
pair of fox-like ears poked out of dirty-blond hair. He wore a thin dark red vest and gray pants, and had bare feet.  
  
He hurried forward and pulled a screen down over the portal, which was framed with what appeared to be glass.  
  
He bolted the gate, and turned to follow the old man. As he passed Jade, he spat and it narrowly missed her feet.  
  
He sneered at her "What are you looking at, human." He took several more steps before turning his head, "Well,  
  
human, are you coming?"  
  
Jade stood up and brushed herself off, staring at the red furry tail poking out from the back of his pants.  
  
  
  
They had been walking for several hours, with the hot sun beating down on them. Jade was tired, sweaty,  
  
and thirsty, and neither the boy nor the man had said a single word. Several times she had tried to ask questions  
  
but they just ignored her. They trees had provided some shade, but with the noonday sun shining straight down on  
  
the broad path, it was uncomfortably warm. The road had slowly been climbing upward, and as they came around  
  
a curve in the trees, the forest ended, and the path ran straight onto a great plain. The plain stretched away to either  
  
side farther than Jade could see, but only a couple of miles away, at the base of a chain of mountains, stood a huge  
  
castle.  
  
  
  
It took over an hour to reach the entrance to the castle, which had looked huge from far away, was absolutely  
  
gargantuan up close. The castle had been right against the rock of the mountains and stretched upward into the  
  
clouds. The outer walls were fashioned of gray granite, which was studded with bits of silver quartzite. Two  
  
guards stood on either side of the path that led straight to an archway in the wall. As they approached, a third  
  
guard came out of side passage set within the thick walls. As the old man drew near, all three guards saluted. Jade  
  
noticed the guards, too, had dog-like ears. He stopped just short of the archway, and nodded. The guard who had  
  
just arrived stepped forward and held out what appeared to be a thin strip of black velvet. "Cap'n Foucualt saw  
  
you comin' an' figured you'd need one of these." He held out the cloth to the man and he passed it to Jade, who  
  
asked, "What is it?"  
  
The man replied tersely, "It will allow you to enter the castle, everyone here wears one, now loop it around your  
  
neck."  
  
Jade looked at the guards and saw they indeed have what appeared to be metal bands about their necks. A quick  
  
glance at Krel (the boy) showed that his was dirty and almost the same color as his skin, which was why she had  
  
had missed it at first. The man's neck was hidden by the high collar of his tunic. Jade looked at the strip of cloth  
  
for a moment longer before doing as she was bid. As the ends came near each other, they melded together, and the  
  
cloth drew tight until it was firm around her neck. Jade tugged at it, but it did not break. The guard nodded and the  
  
man proceeded to walk through the gate; the boy followed him, and after a moment's hesitation, Jade brought up  
  
the rear.  
  
  
  
As soon as they passed through the archway left them and trotted off to another part of the castle. Jade  
  
followed the man as he crossed the courtyard; more soldiers, as well as other people, all in uniforms of gray and  
  
blue, turned to stare at her. Jade cringed, as she felt dozens of pairs of eyes bore into her neck and shoulders. As  
  
she followed the man through a door at the other end of the courtyard, Jade felt their gaze fall away. The relief was  
  
only temporary, however, because there were as many people inside as there had been outside. No one here  
  
stopped and gawked, but Jade sensed the unapproving stares from every direction. Jade's guide paused briefly to  
  
speak to another man, and then continued into a side passage. They traveled up staircases and own hallways until  
  
Jade was thoroughly lost and thoroughly convinced the castle was twice as large inside as it was on the outside.  
  
Finally, turned onto a wider hallway and approached a set of iron bound double doors, near which stood a single  
  
guard; this one, however, had medals and epilates on his uniform. The guard smiled and greeted the other man,  
  
"Good afternoon, steward Grennol, had a pleasant trip?"  
  
Grennol replied, "The only pleasant part of this whole business is getting away from the castle, captain Foucualt."  
  
He glanced at Jade, and Capt. Foucualt inquired, "This is the child, then?"  
  
Grennol nodded, and posed a question of his own, "How is Lord Sriven?"  
  
Foucualt drew a sword from its scabbard at his side. The blade was cracked and pitted, and looked as if it had been  
  
scorched in a fire. "Still upset."  
  
Grennol did not appear surprised, "What else can be expected?"  
  
Foucualt shrugged, "You might want to take her in to see him before Lord Sriven works himself into another rage."  
  
The steward reached out and knocked on the door. A loud discordant clang sounded from behind the door.  
  
Foucualt muttered, "That's as much of a answer as you're going to get."  
  
Grennol pushed open the door and led Jade into a large, rough-hewn room in which a burnt smell lingered. Many  
  
blades of differing varieties hung on the walls, more than a couple lay about on the floor. Across the room, with  
  
his back to them, stood Sriven. Grennol bowed low, murmuring, "M'lord." He slowly turned to face them, and  
  
stared at Jade. His bright purple eyes seemed to focus on a point several inches inside her skull. He slowly  
  
clenched and unclenched his fists several times. Jade's hair stood on end as static electricity filled the air. She  
  
shivered slightly. Sriven appeared to relax a fraction, he sneered, "Stop quivering, I'm not going to kill you!"  
  
Jade's hopes rose slightly, "You're not?"  
  
Sriven answered, through clenched teeth, "No, the same thousand-times-be- dammed gods that say you must  
  
perform "great service" for me, also so I must return you alive and more than less in one piece!"  
  
Jade relaxed a fraction more.  
  
Sriven's voice dropped to almost a normal tone, as he mused, "But I wonder." he took a small, machete-like  
  
sword from the wall, ".how quick the would react." his voice suddenly changed to a roar, ".if I started  
  
CUTTING OFF FINGERS!!!" The roof shook, and blades clattered against the walls.  
  
Jade trembled, as he yelled, "Get her out of my sight!" Sriven swung the sword against a wall and it shattered into  
  
hundreds of pieces. 


	10. First Night

Grennol hastily bowed and hurried from the room, pulling Jade with him. The doors slammed shut behind  
  
them, as they hurried away from the room. Several corridors away, Grennol slowed, and Jade almost bumped in to  
  
him. He glared at her once more, then turned and started down a flight of steps. After another set of twists and  
  
turns they arrived at a green door along one of the wider passageways. Grennol pushed to door open, and stepped  
  
into a neat and tidy entrance chamber, with several doors leading off from it. There were several pegs near the  
  
door, a bench, and a single wooden armchair, which was occupied by a girl who looked to be two or three years  
  
older than Jade. She wore a gray dress with blue sleeves. A pair of cat- like ears rose out of straight brown hair  
  
that fell to about halfway down her back. The girl rose as soon as they entered, her amber eyes glancing up and  
  
down Jade, before swinging to meet Grennol's.  
  
He acknowledged her and said, "I'm glad Turnis was able to find you, did you get my message?"  
  
The girl nodded, and her eyes glared briefly at Jade.  
  
Grennol continued, "Then take Jade to your room, and get her cleaned up."  
  
The girl nodded again, and looked at Jade, "Come with me."  
  
Together they left the room and walked along another set of passageways. Jade was beginning to think this place  
  
was nothing but corridors and staircases.  
  
She picked up the pace for a few steps, drawing almost even with the other girl. "Do you all dislike me, or is it just  
  
that no one ever smiles here?"  
  
The other girl gave Jade a bemused look, then her gaze softened. "No, it's just that Lord Sriven has been in a foul  
  
mood of late, but it's only partly your fault."  
  
"Only partly?" Jade was confused, "I just banished.sent him back here yesterday.or, this morning, whichever it  
  
was."  
  
The other girl shook her head, "It seems that way to you, but time usually flows differently between the pla?n?s."  
  
Jade was still confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"The portals bend and stretch time, don't ask me how I can't explain it, but the point of it is that Lord Sriven has  
  
been back for several days now."  
  
Jade thought about his for a moment, then asked, "Why else is he angry?"  
  
The girl began speaking, then stopped. She turned to Jade and said, "I apologize, I never introduced myself, my  
  
name is Melliea." She went on to answer Jade's question, "The other reason is that Lord Sriven's mother and  
  
father are coming tomorrow. He's always upset until they arrive then is better for several days after they leave."  
  
The implication took a moment to sink in, and then Jade exclaimed, "Sriven has parents?!"  
  
Melliea replied, "That's Lord Sriven, unless you want to attract his anger, and yes, even the immortals must come  
  
from somewhere."  
  
  
  
As they continued to walk in what Jade thought were circle, she asked her guide about the seemingly endless  
  
hallways and staircases.  
  
Melliea replied, "Just be firm of purpose and you'll get were you're going."  
  
Jade still didn't understand, and said so.  
  
The older girl sighed, "Well, the most of the rooms and halls, like the entrance hall were you came in, are anchored  
  
pretty firmly, but the passageways move around fairly often, sometimes you just have to keep trying until you get  
  
to the right place."  
  
Jade was about to ask another question, but Melliea shook her head, "I can't explain it any better than that, but if I  
  
have time tomorrow I'll show you around and then maybe you'll understand."  
  
The two walked for a few more minutes, before Melliea turned off the main corridor and down a much narrower  
  
one. She stopped at a small door, saying, "This leads to my room, the rest of my family uses the front entrance, but  
  
they're usually busy in the evenings anyway."  
  
Melliea pushed the door open and stepped through, into a room similar to the passageway they had just left, except  
  
that four doors led off of it, two on the right, one on the left, and one at the far end. She led Jade through the door  
  
on the left, and into a nice but small room with a fireplace, a desk, a small table and three chairs, a wardrobe and a  
  
bed. Melliea uncovered a lamp by the door, and Jade noticed that the light was not from a flame, but a small chip  
  
of crystal. She crossed to a door on the other side of the room, which opened into a bathroom. There was a stone  
  
bathtub cut into the rock, and hot water rushed out when a valve was opened; she informed Jade that it ran from hot  
  
springs deep in the mountains. By the time Jade had scrubbed away the dust and dirt of the days travel, Melliea  
  
had brought Jade dress like hers, though less ornate, and had fetched dinner from the kitchens.  
  
As they ate, Melliea told Jade more about the castle. "Lord Sriven rebuilt it after it had been destroyed, and  
  
reworked much of the existing area. The outer walls you see now are actually much smaller than when the castle  
  
was first constructed, because there are fewer immortals and insiyni living here."  
  
Jade did recognize a word and asked, "What are insiyni?"  
  
Melliea gestured to her ears, "I'm an insiyni, all the servants and guards are. In fact, unless some elves stop by,  
  
you'll be the only mortal here."  
  
Jade was surprised, "You mean your immortal?"  
  
Melliea laughed, "No, but what's lacking here is understanding. When I say immortal I'm talking about what you  
  
call.what's that word.gods! We insiyni are mortal.or rather, we can be killed."  
  
Melliea's comments about words caused Jade to realize something that had been bothering her all day. "Why do  
  
you all speak English here?"  
  
Melliea frowned, "You ask question with difficult answers, Jade, but the simplest way to put it is that, we're not.  
  
The language of the immortals carries great power, so they do not teach it to any but their own. And rather than  
  
learn the thousands of mortal languages they would need to speak, the immortals simply made it so that everyone  
  
in these pla?n?s speaks the same, it's your mind that's telling you you're speaking English."  
  
By now they had finished dinner, and Melliea stood up to gather the dishes. "Jade, you look tired, go to bed now,  
  
and in the morning we shall talk of lighter things."  
  
Jade drifted off to sleep, one last thought played through her mind, "Elves." 


	11. Morning

Jade awoke the next morning, feeling refreshed. The air in the room was warm, and yellowish pink light  
  
slipped in around the doorframe. The crystal shards that were mounted in lamps throughout the castle gave off a  
  
cool blue light, so this was something different. Jade walked to the door and opened it, her bare feet almost silent  
  
on the stones. The light poured through a doorway at one and of the corridor, and she slipped into a much larger  
  
room, which contained several chairs, a couch, and a wooden table; the light was sunlight, coming in through glass  
  
large glass windows set in one wall. A girl of only five or six was standing at the head of the table, and she froze  
  
when Jade glanced at her. The girl stared at her feet while mumbling, "G'morning." she then hurried out of the  
  
room. Breakfast had been set on the table, but Jade first walked to the windows. The view before her made her  
  
gasp, for she was several hundred feet up the mountainside. The plains and forest stretched out below, and a  
  
shimmering blur river curved away into the distance. The rising sun seemed to be directly even with the windows,  
  
causing Jade to squint, and raise a hand against the fiery brightness.  
  
"Do you like the view?" Melliea had entered the room while Jade was entranced with the scene below her.  
  
"There aren't a lot of windows this high up in the mountain, but since my father is Assistant Chief Steward,  
  
our rooms are more lavish and more spacious than most."  
  
After the two had breakfasted, Melliea lent Jade some of her younger brother's shirts and pants that fit Jade better  
  
than Melliea's old dresses. As Jade changed, Melliea described the arrival of Sriven's parents. "Lord Sriven's  
  
mother and father arrived just after dawn, and they brought his younger brother, Fedlt, with them. The four locked  
  
themselves in Lord Sriven's private chambers, and gave an order that they were no to be disturbed. So, some of  
  
the servants, including me, have the day off. This means I can show you how to find your own way around the  
  
castle."  
  
Melliea and Jade set off into the castle, first stopping in the main entrance hall, where Melliea said, "This is  
  
one of the few fixed locations in the castle, mostly because of its attachment to the outside. From here you can go  
  
almost anywhere else. The side passages lead to both upper and lower levels. The only areas you should avoid are  
  
those two at the end." Melliea gestured towards a pair of intricate archways, decorated with red and black stone.  
  
The patterns stretched out onto the walls and ran across the floor. Anticipating Jade's next question, Melliea  
  
continued, "Those lead to Lord Sriven's private rooms and the lodgings for other immortals who are staying here."  
  
The two girls left the entrance hall, and continued on to see other parts of the castle, which Jade felt was much like  
  
castles on Earth, except larger, and for the fact that the corridors were never the same twice. After seeing the  
  
battlements, the cellars, the kitchens, guest rooms, dinning halls, and scores of gray-stone hallways, Jade's legs  
  
were begging to tire. Noticing the younger girl lagging behind, Melliea paused to wait. "Come along," she  
  
entreated, "I want to show you the Northeast tower, we can rest there."  
  
Jade was not encouraged by the thoughts of having to climb up a tower but, not having much choice, she hurried  
  
along.  
  
  
  
Elsewhere in the castle, Sriven was having a less than pleasant conversation with his visitors. Actually,  
  
Sriven was mostly raging angrily about various problems while his parents simply stood in silence. "More bad  
  
news!? Why is this all happening at once!?", He gestured to a pile of open scrolls on a stone table. "The Elves are always a problem but does Sheratock have to pick now to bring up the same old debate over element dominion that he's protested for nearly 6000 years?!" His tone changed to sarcasm, "And what's this? Only four demands from  
  
the council? Last time it was nearly a dozen!"  
  
His mother drew another scroll from a pocket in her sleeve, while quietly speaking, "I believe they thought  
  
this one might make up for the lack of quantity."  
  
  
  
Having climbed several dozen flights of stairs, Jade felt just about ready to collapse when they came out on a  
  
small landing. Only one passage led away from the landing, but a ladder below a wooden door was bolted to one  
  
wall. Melliea continued up the ladder, and Jade dragged herself up, too. The room they emerged into was circular,  
  
about 30 feet across, and sparsely dotted with chairs and stools. Jade collapsed in the armchair nearest the door,  
  
but Melliea motioned her towards one of the ironbound windows. The view was even more startling than the one  
  
from the windows that morning had been. Clouds drifted below them, and the base of the castle was nearly  
  
invisible in the distance. Jade murmured to herself, "Wow, I didn't think we climbed this far." Melliea overheard  
  
and commented, "We didn't. I told you before that the passages and stairways move, so it makes it easier to get  
  
around the castle. See, you have to experience it to really understand it for yourself."  
  
  
  
Sriven took the scroll and passed his hand along the lighted crest, which promptly vanished. As he read  
  
what was written, his eyebrow began to twitch as he fought to keep his composure. When he spoke, his voice was  
  
barely a whisper, and deadly even. "So, you know what it says?" he continued without waiting for a reply, "How  
  
do you think this makes me feel? I will tell you that I am VERY, VERY ANGRY! After being flung most  
  
unpleasantly from a different pla?n? and being sidled with a human houseguest, they now command that I teach her  
  
immortal magic?!" 


	12. Locks

Meldranea, Sriven's mother, asked calmly of her son, "What reply should we bring to the Counsel?"  
  
Sriven looked down at the paper in his hands, which promptly burst into flame. "There is no need to  
  
take a reply, I shall go myself." He turned and headed out of the room.  
  
Behind him, his parents surprise at his departures was evident in her voice, "Now?"  
  
Sriven did not slow as he called back, "Yes, the sooner this business is handled, the better."  
  
The doors shut of their own accord as he left the chamber. Meldranea turned to ve'Fradeich, Sriven's  
  
father, and asked, "Should we warn the Counsel?"  
  
ve'Fradreich considered for a moment, then chuckled, "No, I do not entirely agree with their actions, so  
  
why make it any easier on them?"  
  
  
  
Jade and Melliea left the tower, and headed for the stairs. As they reached the first landing, Melliea  
  
turned to Jade and said, "I've shown you about, lets see if you can find our way back to the entrance hall,  
  
you'll need the practice."  
  
  
  
Sriven stopped as soon as the doors behind him closed. Unlike the other servants and visitors, who  
  
often had trouble getting around, this was his castle, and the stones knew their master. Sriven simply thought  
  
of the place he wanted to be. The walls creaked and shifted, and outlines became fuzzy. Everything jerked  
  
back into clarity and Sriven walked across the area Jade and Melliea had just vacated. He walked down the  
  
passageway, and up a flight of stairs, heading toward his own private portal. Sriven waved his hand and a  
  
hole appeared in the wall beside him. The full fury of a blizzard roared in to greet him; with wind that could  
  
freeze a mortal in seconds, but Sriven was unfazed, since storm clouds always covered the highest peeks of  
  
the mountains. Barely visible in the driving snow was a circle of glowing runes. The portal had been costly to  
  
install, and even now it had it limitations, but it removed most of the normal hassles of transportation between  
  
plaines. As Sriven stepped into the circle, his eyes glazed over. Lightning arched through the storm clouds,  
  
and met with the energy from his fingers. With a flash and a clap of thunder, he was gone.  
  
  
  
Jade spent the rest of the afternoon practicing getting around the castle. Melliea left her after lunch on  
  
errands of her own and, by dinner time, Jade was confident she could find her way to most of the places she  
  
would need to go in the castle. She even wandered about the side passageways, and took time to explore the  
  
rest of the castle. Melliea found Jade in one of the smaller halls were a dozen passageways came together,  
  
looking at some of the statues and the fountain that decorated the walls and floor. As Melliea led Jade back to  
  
her room for dinner, Melliea mentioned Sriven sudden departure that morning.  
  
"I wonder were Lord Sriven went?" Melliea pondered, as much to herself as to Jade. "Usually he  
  
leaves instructions with the castle staff."  
  
"How did you know he left at all?"  
  
"There were several ways. Insiyni are more sensitive to magic, so an immortal as powerful as Lord  
  
Sriven is easy to locate or track. Second, the castle servants must know Lord Sriven's movements and moods  
  
to best serve him, and so the castle alerts us directly."  
  
Jade was thinking about what Melliea had said and almost walked into her when Melliea stopped  
  
suddenly.  
  
Jade glanced around, and looked at Melliea questioningly. "Uhm, I didn't think we'd reached your  
  
room yet."  
  
"We haven't, but there is one more thing I must show you about the castle. You may have noticed but  
  
there are no locks in the castle, at least none that you would recognize. Lord Sriven has developed a better  
  
method." Melliea motioned to a door by her side, saying "This is just a storage room, but one that you would  
  
have no reason to enter; try to go in."  
  
Jade turned to face the door, and cautiously reached for the handle. She paused as a tingle ran up her  
  
spine. After a brief pause and nothing further happened, Jade moved to touch the handle. Lightning crossed  
  
in front of her eyes, and she felt as if some one had zapped her with static electricity, except it hurt everywhere  
  
at once. Jade jerked her hand away, and the pain stopped. Jade turned to Melliea, rubbing her wrist and  
  
demanded, "What was that?"  
  
"That was part of the castle's defense system. There is an enchantment on the clothes that will activate  
  
if you try to go somewhere you shouldn't."  
  
Jade looked at her shirt, trying to see any sign of magic. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"  
  
"It's better than trying to make keys to all the doors in the castle, and it can be used to cordon off whole  
  
areas, should the need arise."  
  
After their return to Melliea's room, Jade was quiet throughout dinner and the rest of the evening. As  
  
she crawled into bed, thoughts swam through her mind, as she tried to think of a way around the enchantment,  
  
so she could explore the rest of the castle on her own.  
  
  
  
Sriven returned to his castle in the same manner he had left. Since any visit to the plaine in which the  
  
Counsel existed left the traveler with excess power, Sriven simply used it up, transporting himself directly to  
  
the chamber he had left several hours ago. His parents were still there, apparently unruffled after waiting  
  
nearly all day.  
  
Sriven leaned against the table, and grinned. "We reached a compromise," he announced.  
  
His parents frowned, knowing that Sriven's usual idea of a compromise was not going to war to get  
  
what he wanted. They hoped however, that their son would not be so brash as to get into a direct conflict with  
  
the Counsel.  
  
ve'Fradreich asked, somewhat apprehensively, "And the terms of your agreement were.?"  
  
"I will teach the girl magic and anything else she shall need, but only if she can learn at least some  
  
degree of control and caution."  
  
"From some one else, undoubtedly, since you are hardly one to teach caution and control." Fedlt had  
  
returned, and he stood in the doorway, with a thin sword held loosely in one hand.  
  
Sriven, without even turning to face him, commented, "Your perceptions are as sharp as ever, and your  
  
quickness of mind is matched by a smart mouth, keep it up and you'll lose your tongue."  
  
Trying to forestall further arguments, Meldranea asked, "Who, did you say, is to teach her?"  
  
Sriven grinned, "Lady Allustrel, though I doubt even she may be equal to the task."  
  
Meldranea was incredulous, "Allustrel Morningbloom?! But she has not accepted an apprentice for  
  
over 500 years!"  
  
"First, Allustrel will not have to teach everything, only enough that the girl can keep from killing  
  
herself, and second." At this, Sriven held out his hand, and a scroll bearing the Counsel's seal fell into it.  
  
"She does not have a choice, since who can disobey the Counsel's orders?"  
  
Feldt was swift to answer, "Only you, brother."  
  
In a flash, Sriven snatched the sword from Fedlt, and pressed it to his lips, saying "You shall keep your  
  
tongue this time, only because I can interpret that as a compliment." Sriven twisted the sword  
  
sideways, driving it into the wall, leaving a small cut by Fedlt's ear.  
  
Meldranea, upset by the bickering of her sons, stormed out of the room.  
  
ve'Fradreich, who was more practical, inquired, "Who shall take the girl, and when shall they leave?"  
  
To this Sriven replied, "I shall take her myself, and we leave in the morning." 


	13. Travel

"Jade.Jade.Jade, wake up. "  
  
Jade opened her eyes slowly, since she was still sleepy. The light coming in around the door was pinkish-  
  
orange, indicating that the sun was not fully up. As she wiped the blurriness from her eyes, Jade recognized  
  
Melliea, who was standing over the cot, looking anxious.  
  
Jade sat up suddenly, and asked, "What's up? Is everything alright?"  
  
Melliea rung her hands, then stated, "You're leaving."  
  
Her answer caught jade by surprise, and she quickly stuttered "What?! Why?"  
  
Melliea shook her head, "I do not know, but less than an hour ago, Lord Sriven informed us of his imminent  
  
departure, and gave instructions that you were to accompany him." Jade wanted to ask more question while she  
  
scrambled to get dressed but Melliea couldn't, or wouldn't, tell her anything more. As soon as Jade was dressed,  
  
Melliea handed her a muffin and a glass of juice, and quickly left the room. Jade followed, trying to keep up and  
  
bolt down her breakfast at the same time.  
  
"He could've waited at least 'till later in the morning." Jade muttered to herself as she hurried down the  
  
corridors.  
  
Jade, however, had forgotten Melliea cat-like ears, and she caught every word. "I assume you are referring  
  
to Lord Sriven? You were lucky; the immortals, who have no need of sleep, rarely extend the courtesy to others.  
  
Lord Sriven could have decided to leave in the middle of the night, since it makes no difference to him."  
  
Jade just managed to finish eating as they arrived at a pair of double doors at the end of a wide hallway.  
  
Melliea handed Jade a napkin and added, "If I don't see you again, goodbye, and please be careful."  
  
The door swung inward, and Jade walked into an ornate room, decorated with silver, glass, jewels, and  
  
fountains. The doors closed silently behind her, and Jade looked at Sriven, who was standing straight ahead of her.  
  
After an awkward moment of silence, Jade stammered "Uhh.good morning?" hoping that was polite enough.  
  
Sriven regarded her for a moment longer, then walked forward and stopped less than a foot in front of her. He laid  
  
his hand lightly on her shoulder, and the room suddenly blurred. The grey walls faded away, and when everything  
  
returned to normal clarity Jade realized they were in the central courtyard. Sriven turned and strode quickly  
  
towards the main gateway. Jade practically had to jog to keep up. As they approached the massive walls that  
  
framed the gates, Melliea slipped out of a corridor that ran in one of the walls. She slowed as Sriven passed her,  
  
but he did not even glance down.  
  
Melliea hastily passed a brown pack to Jade, saying, "I packed a few things you might need, and goodbye  
  
again."  
  
Jade stammered, "Thanks, and goodbye, too." She rushed to catch up with Sriven, who had stopped just  
  
outside the gate. She skidded to a stop, and asked, "Were are we going, anyway?"  
  
Sriven, who was looking along the ridge of mountains, replied, "The Tower At Dawn." The answer didn't  
  
make sense to Jade, who was even more confused at his question, "Have you ever flown before?"  
  
Jade didn't answer for a moment as she tried to sort out her thoughts, "Uhh.lots of times in an airplane."  
  
Sriven frowned, "That's not what I meant."  
  
"Well, a couple times I flew using the Rooster talisman."  
  
Sriven looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Uhm, it was a magical item made by Shendu." Jade tried to explain.  
  
"You were able to fly using an artifact formed by a demon?"  
  
Jade brightened "Yeah, that's about it."  
  
Sriven sighed, looking annoyed.  
  
"Hey, its not my fault, humans are made for flight." As soon as the words left her mouth, Jade realized it  
  
was a mistake. She stiffened as her muscles froze, and breathing was suddenly difficult. The edges of her vision  
  
darkened and a rumbling filled her ears.  
  
Sriven's purple eyes glowed with an inner light, and his voice took on an icy, almost tangible quality. "You  
  
shouldn't be disrespectful to those who can hurt you."  
  
Abruptly everything returned to normal, and Jade almost collapsed as she regained control of her muscles.  
  
Sriven acted as if nothing had happened. He held both his hands in front of him, and a dark blue haze that  
  
flickered with silver sparks formed between them. The glow spread until it outlined his whole body. He stretched  
  
one hand over Jade's head, and the haze poured out over her. It felt like a cold fog, and her skin tingled wherever  
  
one of the silver sparks touched it. When Jade was completely outlined, Sriven abruptly turned away and said,  
  
"Follow me." He rose off the ground and drifted towards the mountains. Jade tried to walk after him, but she  
  
suddenly found herself drifting along, too. Sriven began to fly faster, and Jade began to fall behind.  
  
Without looking back, Sriven called out, "Focus on a point on the horizon, make that your destination, and  
  
pick a new point when we get close." Jade concentrated on one of the mountains, and gained speed until she and  
  
Sriven darted over the terrain below.  
  
After several hours, when the sun had passed its zenith, Sriven turned into the mountains, and they flew  
  
between the peaks. The mountains were smaller here, and the range was slowly shrinking away to foothills. A  
  
short distance into the mountains, they passed over a small forest of dead, brown trees. Thousands of black birds  
  
took off from the trees and began to fly after them. Jade at first thought they were crows, but as they drew level,  
  
she realized the smallest was the size of an eagle. When they cawed, sparks flashed out from their beaks, and fog  
  
seemed to drift from their feathers. They stayed away from Sriven, but several closed in on Jade. One clawed at  
  
her side, and another pecked at her arm, drawing blood. Jade cried in pain and surprise, as more of the birds  
  
swerved near. Bolts of lightning flashed past, striking some birds and driving the rest away. Sriven was flying  
  
along on his back, with lighting encircling his wrists.  
  
"Storm Crows," he explained, "Vicious creatures." Then he grinned as if enjoying a private thought.  
  
The sun was almost set by the time they reached the edge of the mountains, which gave away to a short  
  
grassy area before turning into the sand of a beach. The water stretched away onto the distance, but the waves  
  
lapped gently on the shore.  
  
As they flew out into the gathering night, Sriven announced, "This is Aestivusmare, the great inland sea."  
  
All land quickly vanished from sight, and the sun slipped below the horizon. Thousands of stars, however,  
  
kept the water lit almost as brightly as the sun. Jade began to feel weary, and he slowly drifted lower, toward the  
  
water, only to be woken by the spray from the waves. She jerked awake, and struggled to gain altitude. Sriven  
  
noticed as she fell behind, and dropped back until he flew alongside.  
  
"Keep flying" was all he said, however, before he suddenly dove beneath the waters with a tremendous  
  
splash. For what seemed like hours, though it was probably only minutes, Jade was alone on the open expanse of  
  
the lake. A splashing in the water drew her attention, and Sriven's head and shoulders rose above the waves. As  
  
he continued to rise, it appeared as if he was standing upright, and indeed he was. His feet were planted on what  
  
appeared to be a small island that briefly splashed along, matching Jade's speed. Then, with a flash of greenish-  
  
silvery scales, an enormous head, as long as a school bus, surged upward. An eye the size of a beach ball regarded  
  
Jade calmly, and Sriven motioned for her to fly nearer. As Jade flew over to him, he reached to grasp her arm, and  
  
she dropped onto the rigid, rough surface. The creature's body was merely a shadow stretching backwards under  
  
the water, with spines cutting above the surface.  
  
Sriven introduced Jade saying, "This is Wreslinanestlempinaresemaniltristeln, the emperor of Aestivusmare.  
  
He has agreed to give you a ride for part of our trip."  
  
Jade hesitatingly offered a greeting, "Hello, Wreslinanes." she trailed off, having forgotten the rest of the  
  
name.  
  
She was shocked when the chuckle rumbled out from beneath her, followed by, "Wreslin will do, small one,  
  
I know how tongue-tied some mortals can get. But what's your name?"  
  
"J-J-Jade", she stammered.  
  
"Jaaaaaaaaade." the sea serpent repeated her name, drawing out the sound until it eventually tapered off.  
  
To say that Wreslin's voice was gravelly didn't do it justice. When the creature spoke it sounded like an  
  
avalanche. "It is not often that one of my kind to has the pleasure of talking to a human. We have been all but  
  
eliminated from the seas of your homeworld, hunted nearly to extinction by greedy or fearful men."  
  
Jade's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She sat and pulled the pack off  
  
her back while undoing the clasp. Inside she found a loaf of bread, a wedge of cheese, several pieces of chicken,  
  
and a flask of water, as well as a travel cloak with a hood. Jade dug into her meal hungrily.  
  
Wreslin laughed again, saying, "The girl seems half starved, Sriven, you should be more attentive to the  
  
mortals you drag along with you." When Sriven didn't respond, Wreslin continued, speaking to Jade instead.  
  
"Sriven never was great for a dinner conversation, he stays as silent as the fish I eat."  
  
His eyes never leaving the horizon, Sriven retorted, "Why don't you eat some of Allustel's creatures, that  
  
would make for an interesting meal."  
  
"Interesting yes, but not enjoyable. Our magics are to different to mix."  
  
"What a pity." Sriven sounded completely insincere.  
  
Jade asked, "Who's Allustra?"  
  
For a minute she didn't think Sriven would answer, but then he spoke, slowly and deliberately,"The name is  
  
Allustrel, and she is an elf. More specifically, the elf we are going to see."  
  
Wreslin added, "Allustrel is a moon elf, and a powerful sorceress."  
  
Neither Ssriven nor Wreslin would say any more about her, and Jade gave up. She went to sleep, using the  
  
pack as a pillow, while the mighty sea serpent rushed onward, into the night.  
  
  
  
Jade awoke, and lay still on the ground. 'Ground?' she thought. Looking around, Jade realized she was on a sandy beach. Sriven stood on the shoreline, watching Wreslin slip back under the water. When he was gone,  
  
Sriven sauntered back up the beach and informed Jade, "We are close enough to walk from here." Jade scrambled  
  
to her feet, grabbing the pack that had been, surprisingly, still under her head. She followed Sriven into the trees  
  
that lined the beach. Jade yawned, and shivered slightly in the cool, pre- dawn air. The sky was already changing  
  
from gray to pink; meaning sunrise wasn't far away. Jade noticed movements in the forest around them, and  
  
quickly realized that several wolves were following them. The wolves were trying to stalk them, but weren't hard  
  
to spot because of their colored fur. One was blue, and another was bright green, a third had pink patches and a  
  
forth was striped like a zebra. After the wolves slipped away, Jade spotted an owl sitting on a tree branch,  
  
watching them with all six of its eyes. Abruptly the trees ended and Sriven stopped at the edge of a large meadow.  
  
"Now what?" asked Jade  
  
"We wait."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"You should learn some patience."  
  
Jade sighed; she was cold and damp from the dew. She perked up a bit when the first rays of sunlight  
  
peeked over the horizon. Out in the center of the meadow, a large shadow swept across the ground. A smoky  
  
outline rose into the air, and as the sun continued to rise, the shape solidified. A huge tower suddenly existed in the  
  
previously empty meadow.  
  
"The Tower At Dawn." Sriven grinned. 


End file.
